To what extent is LTE a better alternative for DSL in developing countries

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION1

LITERATURE REVIEW3

2 .1 Fixed and mobile communication substitutability3

2.1.1 FMS in voice services3

2.1.2 FMS in data services4

2.2 Emerging mobile broadband technologies5

2.2.1 Mobile WiMAX Technology5

2.2.2 Overview of LTE8

2.2.3 LTE technology9

2.2.4 LTE categories10

2.3 WiMax and LTE in Developing Countries10

2.3.1 Importance of LTE for Apple and the Wireless Industry in Developing Countries11

CONCLUSION13

3.1 Advantages of LTE over DSL13

3.2 LTE international14

REFERENCES15

INTRODUCTION

For people in the developed world, it is hard to imagine life without internet. Yet, there are millions of people in the developing world who still have not benefited from the internet. The 'digital divide' is not only between developing and developed countries but also it exists within a given country. It manifests itself between the affluent and the poor, between the urban and rural areas in developing nations.The lack of internet access in developing countries is mainly attributed to the lack of telephone line infrastructure over which DSL service is provided. The cost of building DSL infrastructure is prohibitive and its return of investment does not lure telecom operators.

On the other hand, the mobile phone infrastructure is very well-established. Mobile users in the developing countries have exceeded a billion. The developed-developing and urban-rural disparity in mobile users is very narrow. LTE is an emerging, feature-rich and superfast technology that provides download speed of 300 Mbit/s, upload speed of 75 Mbit/s over a wireless network. The fact that LTE is a mobile technology gives it a clear edge over DSL.

For the purposes of this research, Long Term Evolution (LTE) is defined as a standard for smooth and efficient transition towards more advanced leading-edge technologies to increase the capacity and speed of wireless data networks. (Technopedia), Digital Subscriber Line (DSL): a technology that uses ordinary phone lines to provide a fast connection to the internet without interrupting phone service.(Cambridge dictionary) and developing country as a country with little industrial and economic activity and where people generally have low incomes. (Cambridge Dictionary) .

LTE as a medium for internet access in developing countries is undoubtedly a better alternative to DSL. However, the success of deploying LTE may be limited by external constrains such as This research aims to assess and evaluate the viability of implementing LTE and look at what factors could potentially inhibit the establishment of LTE in developing nations.

My research will begin with a literature review followed by the main body and it will end with a conclusion.

LITERATURE REVIEW

This review will focus on two areas. Firstly, fixed and mobile communication substitutability will be evaluated from a developed and developing country perspective. Secondly, the new development in mobile technologies will be discussed with special focus on LTE as it is of this research.

2 .1 Fixed and mobile communication substitutability

It is a widely accepted fact that mobile communication has overtaken fixed lines connections in both developed and developing countries. As of 2008, the number of mobile users broke through the 4 billion mark (ITU, 2008). The uptake of mobile communication over fixed ...